Dome head for tank cars



J. W. STEINMEYER.

DOME HEAD FOR TANK CARS. APPLICATION man Aus. 2|. 1919.

Patented Oct. 17, 1922.

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, J- W. STEINMEYER. ,DOME HEAD FOR TANKYDAR'S. IAPPLICATIQN mm Aue.21. 1919.

Patented Oct. 17,1922.

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1 Patented Oct. 17, 1922.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

JOHN W. STEINMEYER,'OF EAST ORANGE, NEW JERSEY, ASSIGNOR TO AMERICAN CAR AND FOUNDRY COMPANY, OF NEW YORK, N. Y., A CORPORATION OF NEW JERSEY.

DOME HEAD FOR TANK CARS.

Application filed August 21, 1919. Serial K 318387.

T 0 aZZ whom it may concern Be it known that I, JOHN W. STEINMEYER', residing at East Orange, in the county of Essex and State of New J ersey, and being a citizen of the United States, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Dome Heads for Tank Cars, of which the following is a full, clear, and exact description, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and to use the same, reference being hadto'the accompanying drawings, which. illustrate the preferred form of the invention, though it is to be understood that the invention is not limited to the exact details of construction shown and described, as it is obvious that various modifications thereof within the scope of the claims will occur to persons skilled in the art.

In said drawings Fig. l is a top plan view, partly broken away, of my improved dome head;

Fig. 2 is a central sectional view of my improved dome head;

Fig. 3 is a sectional view taken through one of the safety valves;

Fig. 4 is a detail view showing the manner in which the outer cover is secured to the dome head, and j Fig. 5 is a' fragmentary central sectional view of the dome headshowing in detail the latch portion of the chain connection in engagement with the projection on the rim of the manhole opening for temporarily hold- 5 ing the cover in relatively closed position.

It is an object of my invention to provide an improved dome head arrangement for insulated tank cars. For this purpose my invention comprises an insulated tank car dome provided with j a manhole opening,

separate openings in which the safety valves are mounted and still other openings in which the air inlet valve and the oil outlet valve are mounted. It is a further object of my invention to provide an improved method of installing and securing the manhole cover and the insulating cover that protects it. It is a further object of my invention to. install the valves and manhole cover so as to preventthe admission of moisture to the insulating layer. 'It is a further object to space. the valve openings relatively and from the manhole opening and so dis posed on the dome head as not to interfere with the proper handling ofthe manhole covers. t

In the drawings, A, designates the'tank dome as a whole; B, the ellipticalmanhole opening; 0, C, the safety valves; D, the air inlet valve; and E, the oil outlet valve.

The tank dome A comprises th'einner dome 1 covered by a layer of insulating-material 2 that is secured in place by' an outer dome or sheathing 3. To provide for the elliptical manhole opening, a circular rim or casing 4 of substantially T cross section, but used inverted, is-secured to the inner dome 1 by rivets 5 passing through the dome l and the flange 6 of the rim 4. As thus secured, the rim 4; has an upwardly extending flange 7 against which a collar formed of an upwardly bent portion of the outer sheathing 3 is secured by rivets 7 so as to retain the insulating material in place and protect it from moisture, and a flange Sexthe flange 7 so as to provide an elliptical opening, the inner portion of the flange 8 being bent downwardly as at 9.. A bracket 10 secured to the dome 1 by rivets 11 is provided with projections 12. To close the opening B, thereis provided an inner cover 14, pivoted tothe bracket 10 by apin 13 passing through the projections 12 and a lug 15 on the cover 14. The cover 14 is provided with reenforcing ribs 16, to which the screw threaded eye bolt 17 is secured bythe pin 18, and lugs 19 to which is pivoted the latch 20 by the pin 21. The cover is also provided with projecting annular flanges 22 and 23 tending inwardly different distances from able. material and with which the downwardly projecting portion 9 of the flange 8 is adapted to engage so as to maintain a gas tight joint when the cover 1 1' is in sealed position.

To hold the cover in its sealed positionthere is provided a cross bar 26 which extends across the shorter way of the openmg and whose ends rest on the flange 8 of the .rim l, one end being between projections 27 and the other end. lying between a projec tion' 27 and a projection 34; on the flange 8 flange 7.

which keep the ends of the cross bar in place. Through an opening 28 in the cross bar 26 is passed the eye bolt 17 anda nut 29 on the eye bolt engages the cross bar and serves to bring the packing washer 25 tightly against the downwardly projecting portion 9 of the cover 14, the lock 32 is disengaged from the nut 29 and the nut loosened sufficiently to permit of the bar 26 being raised above the projections 27, after which the bar is turned the long way of the opening and the cover is free to swing inwardly upon disengagement of the auxiliary latch 20.

The latch 20 is provided with a projecting shoulder 33 adapted to engage a projection 34 on the flange 8 of the rim 4 when the cover 14 is in a relatively closed position so as to hold the cover while the sealing bar 26 and nut 29 are being adjusted. To the outer end of the latch 20 is attached a chain 35, the other end of which is connected by an eye bolt 36 to the upwardly projecting The chain 35 serves as a means for bringing the cover to a relatively closed position when it is open, limits the inward movement of the door and prevents the door from falling to the bottom of the tank should the pin 13 become displaced.

The locking and sealing mechanism described will permit the cover 14 to be initially supported in the relatively closed position shown in Fig. 5, by means of the auxiliary latch 20 and subsequently brought to a final position, effectually sealing same upon adjustment of bar 26 and nut 29. As tightening of the nut 29 proceeds, latch 20 is relieved of the weight of cover 14 and the load transferred to the manhole casing 4 through the medium of the rigid bar 26 spanning the manhole opening.

To protect the cover 14, there is provided an outer insulating cover comprising inner plate member 37, a layer of insulation 38 and an outer plate member 39, the outer edge of which is bent inwardly so as to hold the insulation between the inner and outer plates and to form a projecting rim extending beyond the inner plate 37 so as to engage the upwardly projecting flange 7 when the outer cover is in position. The plate members 37 and 39 are forced together so as to compress the insulation between them by means of a bolt 47 and nut 48 Se- .cured to the cover by rivets 40 passing through the downwardly projecting portion of the outer plate member 39 and an inner spacing strip 41 are jaws 42 engaged by the nuts 43 on the eye bolts 44. The eye bolts 44 are secured by pins45 in openings in the lugs 46 which are riveted to the flange 7 of the rim 4. The cover is provided with a handle 49 riveted to the cover and a chain 50 connected to the handle and to an eye bolt 51 secured to the flange 7 prevents loss of the outer cover.

It will be noted that there has beeirprovided a dome head arrangement in which the manhole opening and covers therefor are unobstructed by any apparatus employed in tank car filling and emptying operations, and in which said covers may be manipulated independently of each other and of such apparatus.

Spaced from manhole B are safety valves (lmounted in flange couplings 52 riveted to the inner dome 1, the couplings forming rims for the openings and being shaped as shown in Fig. 3 so as to maintain the safety valves in a vertical position. Surrounding each safety valve and secured to the outer sheathing 3 by rivets are upwardly extending collars 53, the upper ends of which extend in back of the downwardly extending petticoats 54 on the safety valve casings so as to keep moisture from reaching the insulation. The safety valves are of the type usually applied to tank cars and will not be described in detail.

Spaced from'the manhole opening and the safety valves are air inlet valve D and oil outlet valve E. Said inlet and outlet valves are identical in detail construction and mounted in the dome head in the same manner, and are operated by any suitable means such as a spindle 58 thrust against valve 58 and opening same by overcoming the valve closing action of spring 59. One of said valves is shown partly in section in Fig. 2 and comprises a flanged coupling 55 riveted to the inner dome and so shaped as to hold the valve casing 56, screw threaded therein, in a vertical position. The valve casing 56 is provided with a valve seat 57 on which is seated a valve 58, spring pressed to its seat by a spring 59 surrounding the valve stem 60 and engaging the valve 58 and the cross arm 61 of the coupling 62 that joins the air inlet pipe 63 to the valve casing 56. Nuts 64 on the valve stem 60 keep the spring 59 and valve 58 assembled when the coupling 62 is disconnected from the valve casing 56. The valve casing extends through the insulation 2 and the outer dome or sheathing 3 and the bore of the valve casing is screw threaded at its outer end to receive a nipple 65 on which is a gate valve 66, the outer opening of the gate valve being closed when the car is in transit by a plug 67 attached by chain 68 to the nipple 65. Screw threaded on the nipple 65 is a downwardly extending'collar 69 that surrounds the outer end of the valve casing 56 and the outer end of a flanged collar 70 that is riveted to the outer dome or sheathing 3 and surrounds the valve casing 56 thus preventing the entrance of inoisture to the insulating layer 2.

What I claim is:

1. iL dome head for-tanlccars having safety valve, air inlet, oil outlet openings spaced apart and a relativelyindependent manhole opening.

2. A dome headfor tank cars having'an opening, a rim for the opening provided with an upwardly extending flange, an outer sheathing for said dome secured to said upwardly extending flange, a cover for said opening comprising a plurality of plate members, the top plate member of said cover being bent down so as to surround said flange and sheathing.

A dome head for tank cars comprising an inner dome and an outer sheathing, a casing secured to said inner dome, a collar secured to the outer sheathing and means carried by the casing and surrounding the casing and collar.

4L. A dome head for tank cars having a manhole opening, a rim for said opening, a closure adapted to engage said rim, an inwardly extending flange for said rim of a width varying. so as to define an elliptical opening and a second closure adapted to engage 'said flange.

5. A dome headfor tank cars having a manhole opening, a rim for said opening having a circular upwardly extending flange and an inwardly extending flange of a width varying so as to define an elliptical opening and inner and outer covers fitted to said flanges.

6. A dome head for tank cars having a manhole opening, a rim for said opening having a plurality of flanges and secured by one of said flanges to the tank dome and covers engaging the other flanges.

7. A dome head for tank cars having a manhole opening, rim for said opening having a plurality of flanges and secured by one of said flanges to the tank dome, a cover pivotally connected to the tank dome and engaging another of said flanges and a sea ond. cover protecting said first cover and engaging another oi said flanges.

8. A dome head for tank cars having a manhole opening, a rim for said opening having a plurality of flanges, a pivoted cover engaging one of said flanges, a protecting cover engaging another flange and means carried by said second flange for holding said protecting cover in place.

9. A dome head for tank cars having a manhole opening, a rim for said opening having a plurality of flanges, a pivoted co ver engaging one of said flanges, means holding said cover closed and limiting the pivotal movement of said cover and a protecting cover engaging the other flange.

1.0. A dome head for tank cars having a manhole opening, a rim for said opening provided with oppositely extending flanges,

a cover for said opening engaging one flange, a bar tor supporting saidcover engaging said rim and opeiatively connected to sa d cover and a protecting cover engaging the coverpivotally secured to said head, means for securing said cover in closed position, a

latch for holding said cover closed and means connecting said latch and dome and limitingthe inward movement or said cover. 13. A dome head for tankcars having. an

opening, a rim forsaid opening provided with a flange,"a cover pivotally mounted on the dome head, a cross bar adapted to engage said flange, an eye bolt pivotally mounted on said cover and connecting said bar and cover and adapted to force said cover into engagement with said flange when said bar is in position on said flange.

14. A dome head fortank cars having an opening, a rim'i'or said opening provided with a flang'e hav'ing' adownwardly extending portion, a cover mounted on said'tank dome, auxiliary means for temporarily holding said cover in relatively closed position, and means adapted to force said cover into sealing engagement with the downwardly extending portion of said flange.

15. A dome head for tank cars having a manhole opening, a rim for said opening, a cover for said opening, means for sealing said cover to said rim and latch mechanism carried by said cover adapted for engagement with said rim. to hold. said cover in a relatively closed position.

1.6. A dome head for tank cars having an opening, a rim for said opening, inner and outer covers for said opening engaging said rim, and temporary latching means between said covers engaging said rim for holding said inner cover in a relatively closed position.

17. A dome head for tank cars having an opening, a rim. for said opening, inner and outer covers for said opening engaging said rim, and rigid. locking means spanning said said flange, movable means connecting said bar and cover and adapted to force said cover into engagement with said flange when said bar is in position on said flange.

19. A dome for tank cars including a manhole closure, means for moving said closure to sealed position and means for holding said closure in a relatively closed position during the application of said first mentioned means adapted to be rendered inoperative upon the sealing of said closure.

20. A tank dome opening sealing means including a pivoted closure, means for temporarily holding said closure in elevated position and means for drawing the closure into sealing position, said temporary holding means being adapted to prevent the movement of said closure to the full open position upon-release of said second mentioned means.

21. A dome head for tank cars having an opening, a rim for said opening, inner and outer covers for said opening engaging said rim, and yieldable latching means for temporarily holding said inner cover in a relatively closed position.

22. A dome head for tank cars having an opening, a rim for said opening, inner and outer covers for said opening engaging said rim, yieldable latching means for temporarily holding said inner cover in a relatively closed position, and rigid locking means for subsequently drawing said inner cover to sealed position.

23. In a dome head for tank cars having a manhole opening, inner and outer covers for said opening, and locking mechanism for said inner cover between said covers.

24. A dome head for tank cars having an opening, a closure for said opening so positioned as to be accessible from the exterior of said dome head, an inner gas-tight closure for said opening adapted to be covered by said first mentioned closure, and movable means carried by said inner closure adapted to secure it in closed position.

25. A dome head for tank cars having an opening, inner and outer covers for said opening, and inner cover locking means protected by said outer cover.

26. A dome head for tank cars having an opening, an outer cover for said opening, cover elevating and locking means beneath said outer cover, and an inner cover for said opening secured to said elevating and locking means.

27. A dome head having an opening, a rim for said opening and a plurality of closures for said opening engaging said rim.

28. A dome head having an opening, a plurality of closuresfor said opening and a common sealing member for said closures.

In witness whereof I have hereunto set my hand in the presence of two witnesses.

JOHN lV. STEINMEYER. lVitnesses:

OSCAR HOOHBERG, T. H. GIBBS. 

